Prefixes, Suffixes, and Root Words often used in Biology

a- or an-

• not/without • abiotic or anaerobic

di-

• two • dioxide

hemato-

• blood • hematology

aero-

• air/oxygen • aerobic

amphi-

• both, double • amphibian

anthropo-

• human • anthropology

anti-

• against/opposite of

• antibody

archae-

• ancient/primitive

• archaebacteria

auto-

• self/by itself • autotroph

herb-

• plants • herbicide

bio-

• life • biology

trans-

• across/through • transpiration

photo-

• light • photosynthesis

hydro-

• water • hydrolysis

meta-

• change of position

• metaphase

bi-

• having two • bilateral

cephalo-

• head • cephalopod

cerebro

• brain • cerebrum

hetero-

• different • heterozygous

homo-

• same • homozygous

chloro-

• green • chlorophyll

meso-

• middle • Mesozoic

con-

• come together/

combine

• condensation

cyto-

• cell • cytoplasm

de-

• away/remove • dehydrate

dia-

• through/across • diameter

ecto-

• outside • ectotherm

aqua-

• water • aquatic

arthro-

• joint • arthropod

chromo-

• color • chromatogram

-cide

• killer, kill, killing

• pesticide

multi-

• many • multilocus

genesis

• beginning, origin

• abiogenesis

proto-

• first • protocell

synthesis

• to make • protein synthesis

sub-

• lesser, below • subdermal

-some

• part of the body

• chromosome

-philia

• fondness • thermophilic

-phobia

• fear • arachnophobia

-ploid

• number of sets of chromosomes

• diploid

-derm

• skin/layer/covering

• epidermis

-therm

• heat • thermometer

hyper-

• over/excessive • hyperactive

hypo-• below/less

than normal• hypoglycemia

non-

• not/a lack of • nondisjunction

neuro-

• nerve • neuron

-troph

• food • heterotroph

-phage

• taking over • bacteriophage

macro-

• large • macromolecule

micro-

• small • microscopic

mono-

• one • monosaccharide

poly-

• many • polymer

iso-

• equal • isotonic

pro-

• before/primitive

• prokaryotic

phago-

• taking over/eating

• phagocytosis

lyso-

• disintegration/break down

• lysosome

karyo-

• nucleus • karyotype

endo-

• inside/into • endocytosis

sym-

• with/together

• symbiosis

epi-

• outer/top • epidermis

eu-

• true/well • eukaryotic

exo-

• out • exocytosis

gastro-

• stomach • gastric juice

intra-

• within, inside • intracellular

-itis

• disease, inflammation

• dermatitis

lateral

• side • bilateral

meter

• measurement • centimeter

-pod

• foot • gastropod

-morph

• form • metamorphosis

tri-

• three • triploidy

zoo-

• animal • zoology

phyto-

• plant • phytoplankton

This is only the beginning!